Beat

CARSON, Calif. -- The LA Galaxy opened preseason training camp on Monday and while the status of Landon Donovan may be garnering most of the interest, below are a few notes from LA’s first day of preseason.

*Bruce Arena opened preseason on Monday that consisted of many from the roster including goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini and U.S. national team camp invitees Omar Gonzalez and A.J. DeLaGarza. The two defenders stepped away from U.S. camp briefly to attend the meeting and meet their new teammates.

*Sixteen players participated on the club’s on the field training on Monday that consisted entirely of fitness drills. Kofi Opare, Kenney Walker, and Cudicini were at The HDC, but spent the session downstairs.

*Several players were absent for various reasons: Robbie Keane (training with Tottenham Hotspur), Mike Magee (recovering from wisdom teeth removal), Todd Dunivant (finishing up his honeymoon and is expected to return on Tuesday), Oscar Sorto and Jose Villarreal (with U.S. Under-20’s), Donovan (extended break), DeLaGarza and Gonzalez (with U.S. national team),

*Among the absent was Brazilian midfielder Juninho, who is awaiting his visa and is expected in camp by the end of the week or the beginning of next.

*According to LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, the Galaxy are hopeful that they will have goalkeeper William Hesmer in camp. Hesmer was selected in stage two of the MLS Re-Entry Draft.

*There were several number changes with the team: Bryan Gaul will don No. 17 after wearing 35 last year. Carlo Cudicini has taken over No.1 from Brian Rowe who will now wear No. 12. Meanwhile midfielder Colin Clark will wear No. 11.

*Former LA Galaxy midfielder Kyle Nakazawa, who was expected to enter camp as a non-roster invitee has elected to retire. Nakazawa missed much of the 2012 season due to back spasms.

*LA will be training at The Home Depot Center throughout the preseason. Arena expected the Galaxy to play in eight exhibition or practice games. The first will be a match against the United States Under-17 national team on Feb. 1.

CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy captain Landon Donovan will play soccer in 2013, but when he’ll play is still being decided.

The Galaxy captain was not at the club’s first practice on Monday, but head coach Bruce Arena told reporters that Donovan will play, but no timetable had been set at the moment.

We’ve given him a little more time off,” Arena said. “He’s definitely playing this year, but we’re just working out a return date that makes sense for all of us…we’re working that out soon.”

Arena met with Donovan over the weekend and stated the he is feeling well, but needs a little more time off. Although speculation has swirled around Donovan’s future, Arena admits that he was always confident that he’d be back in 2013.

“No, I thought he was going to come back. I think he just needs a little bit more of an extended leave of absence. He’s got a couple of years that have taken its toll and he needs a little bit more time.”

With the Galaxy’s first MLS game 41 days away, when Donovan does make his return, he’ll need to build his fitness just like any other player.

“He like any player needs the right time. The longer that he takes off, it’ll take him longer to be ready to play,” said Arena. “Generally, we’d like to see some players get three or four weeks to bring their fitness along.”

As the LA Galaxy prepare for the opening of preseason, we know of another player who will not be returning once preseason starts up on Monday—midfielder Dan Keat.

The LA Galaxy Insider has learned that the New Zealand International will not return to the club for 2013 after making just three appearances in all competitions during an injury-riddled 2012 season. Keat fared slightly better in MLS Reserve League play by making five appearances. In his second year in MLS, Keat bounced across the field in search of minutes playing right back, central defense, and defensive midfield before right knee surgery in May caused him to miss nearly five months.

Although Keat struggled with injuries, he admits that he is not surprised that he is moving on from a team that he says will always have a place in his heart.

“I’m not surprised really, it’s something that I think that I’m ready to go to a place where I can play, that was a move that I was going to try and make anyway,” Keat told the LA Galaxy Insider shortly after the season had ended. It’s been a great couple of years here and I really appreciate everything that the Galaxy have done for me. It’s bittersweet really, I’m at an age where I need to move on and play, but this place will always have a place in my heart.”

Whether Keat remains in MLS remains a question mark as the third overall selection in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft has made just six appearances over his two year career in the league. Perhaps the best option for Keat could be a switch to the A-League, which would place him closer to his New Zealand national team head coach.

“We’ll see what works out, I think more than likely abroad, but it’s one of those things, you just see what opportunities come up,” said I think success is the intersection between opportunity and hard work so if you can take that and run with it and see what happens.”

As the young midfielder searches for a new club though, reaching the 2014 World Cup with New Zealand is most important.

“ I think that I’ve done alright for them recently. It’s been kind of a savior for me because I wasn’t going to get a chance to play and I knew that games were coming up so it gave me target points to aim for which helped out a lot,” said Keat. “I need to be playing at a club regularly so I can get starts for the national team and help us push towards the world cup in 2014.”

With Keat gone, the LA Galaxy have five of their seven international spots (Juninho, Marcelo Sarvas, Robbie Keane, Leonardo, and Carlo Cudicini) in use as preseason begins on Monday. LA traded away their eight available spot to Chivas USA ahead of the Stage Two of the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Draft.

INDIANAPOLIS – Gyasi Zardes may have signed a Homegrown deal with the LA Galaxy in December, but he still got his SuperDraft moment in January as two other Homegrown players were presented at Thursday’s 2013 MLS SuperDraft.

One of the top goal scorers in college soccer, Zardes notched 33 goals in 37 games with the Roadrunners over his four seasons at CSU Bakersfield. Although his Homegrown status prevented him from taking part in the draft day festivities, Zardes believes that he was far better off signing a deal for LA.

“It was a great decision to sign a Homegrown because I knew which club I was going to play for and prepare for,” Zardes said, “as opposed to these guys [in the SuperDraft] – they’re waiting and waiting. It just helped me prepare sooner than these guys"

When the Galaxy begin their preseason on Monday, Zardes is expected to challenge for a forward spot alongside LA’s leading goal scorer from 2012, Robbie Keane. As he prepares to play alongside the talented Irishman, Zardes – who is proud of the “flair and style” in his game— admits that he’s been taking notes on how he could fit alongside Keane.

“I’m excited to play alongside Robbie Keane and just learn as much as I possibly can,” said Zardes. “I watch how many guys cram and defend Robbie Keane and I think to myself that I can make those kinds of runs to be open for the future.”

But can Zardes step in during his first rookie season? Galaxy head coach and general manager Bruce Arena seems to think so.

"We sense that he's going to be able to help us a little bit this year,” said Arena. "He's a very bright, articulate, confident kid and hopefully that translates a little bit on the field, where it counts."

And where does Zardes believe that he would have gone if he entered the draft?

“In my eyes, I think I would’ve gone No. 1,” said Zardes with a smile.

INDIANAPOLIS — The LA Galaxy’s focus was turned to the 2012 MLS SuperDraft on Thursday as LA made three selections, but head coach and general manager Bruce Arena commented about the speculation surrounding a potential Designated Player signing as well as Landon Donovan.

Over the past few months, LA has been linked with countless targets to fill the Designated Player spot vacated by David Beckham and after the SuperDraft, Arena was asked about LA’s links to Brazilian midfielder Kaka and English midfielder Frank Lampard.

When asked if Lampard was bound for the Galaxy, Arena stated that “we wouldn’t rule that out, it’s always a possibility.” When asked if Kaka was also a target, Arena told reporters that LA had “spoken to” both about a potential move. But don’t expect a decision to come any time soon.

“I wouldn't be surprised if over the next week or so, we have some kind of decision that we’re going to make on a designated player,” said Arena.

Meanwhile, Arena also addressed speculation surrounding Donovan’s future stating that he had spoken to the Galaxy captain recently and he would prefer if he knew of his plans after this weekend.

“I’m hopeful that we have a good feel of where he is headed after this weekend,” said Arena.

The LA Galaxy ended their day at the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by selecting Louisville defender Greg Cochrane.

Cochrane spent the past two seasons with the Cardinals after transfering from Virginia Tech after the 2010 season. The Pennsylvania native also spent time on the left side of midfield and left back during his time with the Cardinals.

The LA Galaxy bolstered their backline with the selection of Michigan defender Kofi Opare with the 24th overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft.

Opare spent four years at Michigan where he was a staple at center back for the University. The 22-year-old is a former member of the United States' Under-20 squad and helped Michigan reach the College Cup final in 2010.

The LA Galaxy hold three selections in Thursday's MLS SuperDraft and there is no shortage of speculation surrounding who head coach Bruce Arena and his coaching staff may select.

LA have the 19th pick in the first round of the SuperDraft and two selections -- the 24th and the 38th -- in the second round. Typically these positions do not offer the same freedom as say, the New England Revoultion have the first overall pick -- The Revs obtained the pick after trading with Toronto FC -- because LA must react to the decisions of 18 other clubs before making their first choice.

I've compiled a few must see sites and articles that you must read before you settle in to watch the draft at 9 a.m. tomorrow.